


the little things

by hongism



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alchemist Reader, Avian Shifter Choi San, Cat Hybrid Kang Yeosang, Cat/Human Hybrids, Cottagecore, Domestic Fluff, Eclectic Witch Kim Hongjoong, Elemental Witch Choi Jongho, Elemental Witch Song Mingi, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fae Jeong Yunho, Familiar Choi San, Familiar Kang Yeosang, Female Reader, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Hearth Witch Park Seonghwa, Herbalist Reader, Hybrids, Lunar Witch Jung Wooyoung, M/M, Polyamory, Raven Choi San, Seonghwa uses nicknames so much, Shaman Kim Hongjoong, Witch Choi Jongho, Witch Choi San, Witch Jeong Yunho, Witch Jung Wooyoung, Witch Kang Yeosang, Witch Kim Hongjoong, Witch Park Seonghwa, Witch Song Mingi, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:40:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27906868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hongism/pseuds/hongism
Summary: a collection of small drabbles surrounding poly witchteez and reader1: seonghwa drops by your cottage for an unexpected visit and you talk about the little things2: a job doesn’t go as planned for hongjoong, and you’re left to pick up the pieces3: as it turns out, even you have a breaking point. yeosang is there to pick up the pieces as you fall apart.4: it’s been quite some time since these intrusive thoughts came around, but whenever they do, there’s always one person in particular who comes to brush them away.
Relationships: ATEEZ Ensemble/Reader, Choi Jongho/Choi San/Jeong Yunho/Jung Wooyoung/Kang Yeosang/Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa/Song Mingi, Choi Jongho/Everyone, Choi Jongho/Reader, Choi San/Everyone, Choi San/Kim Hongjoong, Choi San/Reader, Jeong Yunho/Everyone, Jeong Yunho/Reader, Jung Wooyoung/Everyone, Jung Wooyoung/Reader, Kang Yeosang/Everyone, Kang Yeosang/Reader, Kim Hongjoong/Everyone, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa, Kim Hongjoong/Reader, Park Seonghwa/Everyone, Park Seonghwa/Reader, Song Mingi/Everyone, Song Mingi/Reader
Comments: 17
Kudos: 58





	1. seonghwa

The water is still warm by the time you slip into the bath despite all the time you wasted earlier by cleaning up the bathroom. You sink into the water, a content sigh slipping past your lips, and settle back against the wall of ceramic. It’s cool on your skin, not quite warmed up from the water any longer, but it isn’t too unbearable. The further you sink, the higher the water level rises, and it nearly tips over the edge of the tub as you fidget to get comfortable in the water. You’re in the midst of draining a bit of excess water when you hear the door click, handle twists as someone steps in without warning. 

And you usually would be quite terrified of such a thing, but Seonghwa warned you beforehand that he would be coming, and you could sense the heat of his aura the moment he stepped through the back door. It hits you with more strength now, a tell-tale sign that he’s entered the cottage and come into the bathroom, thus you don’t even feel the need to open your eyes to greet him.

“Need supplies?” You inquire through a small hum, arms coming to rest on the edge of the tub. 

“Not today.” The witch’s tone is as cool and calm as ever, a bit of raspiness on the tail end of his words, and you feel the corners of your lips twisting up before you know it. You reach down to drain a bit more water, already expecting what’s coming next. Seonghwa doesn’t surprise you one bit when you hear the clink of his belt then the shuffling of clothes as they join yours on the floor. It doesn’t stop you from flinching from the sheer coldness of his fingers as he runs a few digits across your bare back. Goosebumps dance up in the wake of his touch, then a small splash resounds behind you as Seonghwa slips into the water. You glance over your shoulder to greet the man with a smile, his neatly parted blond hair fanned across his forehead. It’s a bit damp, probably due to the rainy weather outside your hut, and you can’t keep from reaching forward to fix his part and situate it back to its old position when it falls.

“Just a visit then, I take it,” you exhale as Seonghwa’s legs come to rest on either side of your hips. He doesn’t offer a verbal response, but his hands do the talking for him, reaching forward to wrap around your midsection and pull you back to his now wet chest. You let him shift your body until he’s in a comfortable position before inching your legs up and bending your knees so you can settle against him. “Any special reason for said visit?”

“I was passing through the area. Seemed criminal not to stop for at least a few minutes.”

You huff out a laugh, watching the water ripple under your breaths, then click your tongue to the roof of your mouth.

“You wouldn’t have gotten in the bath for just a few minutes of my time, Seonghwa.”

The blond regards you with nothing more than a longing stare for a few seconds. When he speaks again, his tone has fallen quiet, almost as though he’s embarrassed or shy to say the words.

“I missed your presence.”

“Hm, the coven didn’t mind your hasty disappearance then?” The angle of your neck is practically painful as you twist to look him in the eye, but Seonghwa drops his shoulder to let you rest easier on it and watch him at the same time.

“They miss you as well actually. I’m surprised I came before Wooyoung found you.” Seonghwa’s tongue peeks out to dart over his lips. There’s a steady thrum of energy between the two of you, a pleasant and warm sensation that sends you further into a content state of relaxation. There’s no need to speak honestly because you’re comfortable enough with this silence, but you’d say anything just to hear Seonghwa’s gentle tone time and time again.

“He visited earlier today,” you say through a grin. Seonghwa can’t see it thanks to the water shrouding your lower half, but Wooyoung gifted you with quite the myriads of marks all along the insides of your thighs – something to remember him by until his next visit as he stated, although you both knew that  _ that _ wasn’t the thing you would be remembering from your time together. 

“Hm, that explains the stench of his aura when he came home.” Seonghwa shakes his head as he thinks of the younger witch’s antics. “Went straight to Yunho’s room too.”

“He’s insatiable, you know that.”

“All too well.”

There’s nothing to say in response, so you don’t force the conversation to continue; instead, you let the silence wrap around the two of you, head falling back to rest near the crook of Seonghwa’s neck. You hardly realize it at first because of how gradual it is, but as more time passes, you feel the water warming up with each passing second. Seonghwa’s fingers twitch against your abdomen, tracing small patterns into the skin there, runes you recognize to be a spell – no doubt a fire one at that. 

“You could’ve just said you were cold,” you mutter. You have to bite back a smile as you speak, but it’s to no avail because Seonghwa’s hawk-like stare is on you and examining every twitch of your features. 

“You were shivering,” he states, tone so monotonous that you roll your eyes. 

“The house gets cold at this time of year.”

“You’re always welcome to stay with us,” Seonghwa says. There’s a hint of pleading to his tone; it’s a question he has asked a hundred times, along with the other dearly beloved members of the coven, and yet you haven’t once taken them up on the offer. 

“Yes, I’m aware. Joong sent the raven again this morning shortly before Wooyoung arrived.”

“You know he means well. As does San, otherwise he would bother shifting to come deliver the message to you.” 

San’s always been a special sort of witch, one who operates in unorthodox manners, such as his tendency to shift into a raven familiar himself rather than employing one. Finding feathers in odd places was a bit disconcerting at first, but Yeosang’s cat ears popping out when he gets too excited were a far greater surprise the first time you witnessed it. The hybrid makes up for the surprises in other areas though, especially the times when he comes to curl up on your lap while you’re working at your desk and slaving over potions late into the night, so you could never stay mad at him for long.

“I lost you there for a second,” Seonghwa chuckles, and you shake your head to free yourself of the thoughts.

“I was thinking.”

“Coin for your thoughts?”

“I’ll give them to you for a kiss,” you tease, snuggling up further into Seonghwa’s embrace. It’s quick and light – if you hadn’t been paying attention, you would’ve missed the touch entirely – but Seonghwa presses a kiss to your hairline, lips twisted into a smile. “Not that kind of kiss.”

“I might lose all inhibitions if I opted for a different kind.”

“The reason why I won’t come to stay with you all is because I can’t leave the shop unattended,” you explain, moving back to answer Seonghwa’s unspoken question from earlier. 

“You could move the shop to our house. Work from the first floor. More space as well.”

“I would feel like too much of a burden to do that.”

“You could never be a burden in our eyes, Y/N,” Seonghwa whispers, tone so full of affection and adoration that it sounds as though he has something lodged in his throat. You twist in his grasp, and his fingers shift to latch onto your waist. He doesn’t say a word as you straddle his hips and rest gently against him with no intentions other than to look him in the eye with more ease. The next few seconds that pass consist of just your stares, ones that linger and search each other for answers and questions that don’t need to be spoken, and he brings you closer to his chest with the same warm hands. “Ma petite étoile.”

“Okay, Mr. Romantic, that’s enough out of you,” you huff, slapping a hand to Seonghwa’s bare chest. “I’ll think about it.” Seonghwa seems satisfied enough with the answer because he doesn’t offer any words in response, merely pulling you closer until your chin rests on his shoulder. The sudden exposure to the air outside the water causes chills to run down your spine, and before you know it, you’re shivering again from the cold. Seonghwa lets his hands roam over your bare skin though, tracing the same patterns and runes as before and letting warmth spread across the canvas of your back. The action is soothing enough to put you to sleep despite all your attempts to stay awake on top of him. Seonghwa catches you right before you doze off though, soft tone bringing you back to full consciousness after some time has passed.

“Mingi said he would come by tomorrow to help you move the shipments.”

“What about Jongho?” Your question is a bit slurred from your drowsiness, and Seonghwa laughs a bit at the sound of it, but he must understand your words just fine because he responds nonetheless.

“He and Hongjoong left this morning for a job in the countryside. It’ll be three or four days before they return.”

“How will you last four days without Hongjoong to keep you preoccupied?” You joke, and Seonghwa laughs at your question. The sound reverberates through your chest, adding to the warmth and comfort of his body against yours.

“If Wooyoung didn’t wear you out too much, I’m sure we could come up with some ways to satisfy my needs.”

“You’re such a scoundrel, Seonghwa.” You pull away from Seonghwa’s neck before an idea takes over you, and you immediately drop back to his skin without waiting to hear a response from him. His words cut off into a startled gasp as you nip at the junction of his neck and shoulder, sucking softly at the flesh between your teeth until you’re satisfied with the bruise that blossoms there. Seonghwa hisses a loud and sharp sound when you tug away, and his hands tighten around your body to keep you from leaning too far away from him. “And you look even better with marks on you.”

“Yes, well, if you sit any longer in the bath, you’ll shrivel up entirely.”

“Speak for yourself, old man!” A scoff escapes you, and Seonghwa’s eyes flash with something akin to playfulness. His grip turns light then he reaches to stab at your sides, catching you off-guard and tickling you before you can fight back. “Not in the bath!” You squeak through a fit of laughter. 

“Then get out of the bath so I can properly tickle you.”

“What happened to other forms of entertainment?”

“Seeing you squirm under my touch is quite entertaining for me.” Seonghwa beams up at you, lips stretched wide to reveal the straight set of teeth behind them, and you melt at the sight of his adorable grin.

“Hmph, fine, but you’ll have to carry me out of here yourself. I’m comfortable like this,” you mumble as you dive back in to rest atop Seonghwa’s chest again. 

“Two more minutes.”

“You’ll have to drag me out by my ankles.” You squeeze your arms hard around Seonghwa, a desperate attempt to keep him from moving even though he said two more minutes, and he shakes his head at your antics.

“You’re worse than Wooyoung and Yunho.”

“Make it five and I’ll go willingly.”

“…Five more minutes or I’ll freeze the water under your ass.”


	2. hongjoong

Hongjoong arguably has the hardest job out of anyone in the coven. You are well aware of that, and the pressure he feels from being the leader of the coven doesn’t help one bit, especially since the majority of the public eye’s judgment falls on his shoulders. He would never admit it out loud, but that pains him quite a bit, even if he is willing to take the judgment of others so his coven doesn’t have to. Seonghwa helps in those moments of weakness, lulling Hongjoong to sleep with a quick spell or trying a myriad of other things to calm the man, but it must be worse than usual for Seonghwa to call on  _ you _ to help with the issue.

Hongjoong’s magic is draining mostly due to the fact that he is eclectic and likes to dabble in everything. Some spells take more out of him than others, some take no effort, and others require days if not weeks of recovery time. Now, however, there seems to be a different issue.

_ “A job went south.”  _ That’s the only explanation you got from Seonghwa, but the small shake of his head told you all you needed to know. Because jobs don’t just go south for Hongjoong. 

That is what lands you here — steps outside Hongjoong’s room with hand raised and ready to rap roughly against the wood several times. You aren’t sure what awaits you inside, but considering the very late hour, you are hoping to find Hongjoong asleep. The faint yellow candlelight filtering under the door tells you otherwise though, and that’s why you opt to knock rather than barging in unannounced. 

“Come in.” Hongjoong sounds tired even in the two small words, but it isn’t the typical kind of tired you’re used to hearing from people. You are used to the exhaustion of the body, people coming to your door for sleep remedies, and nightmare potions meant to dispel the bad dreams that keep them up at night. The exhaustion in Hongjoong’s voice is one that resides deep in the body, one that eats away at the bones and muscles, breaks you down until you can hardly keep your head up. It’s nothing you can’t fix with a simple herbal concoction, but Seonghwa didn’t ask you to bring anything. He didn’t expect you to use your alchemy to fix Hongjoong, thus you’re going to have to rely on words and comfort instead. 

You twist the handle as quietly as you can so that you don’t disturb the other sleeping men in the house. Sneaking in was hard enough, especially since Jongho was sprawled out on the couch with Yeosang’s lithe cat form curled up directly on his stomach, but you managed to get past the two of them with little to no disturbances. (And you delivered a few head scratches to Yeosang but that’s beside the point). 

“Are you here to heat the tea again? I forgot all about it — oh.” Hongjoong’s thought falls short when he turns to face you, no doubt assuming that it was Seonghwa knocking for the umpteenth time tonight, but instead, he finds you with your hands tucked behind your back and lips stretched into a small smile. “What are you doing here? Did something happen back at the cottage? Did you come alone? Please tell me that you at least carried a ward or charm with you. That walk isn’t safe alone at this hour and I—”

“Hongjoong, darling, please.” Your smile stretches bit by bit as you move towards where Hongjoong is seated at his desk. Back hunched almost painfully, the man seems to be slaving over some old tomes, several books cracked open and laid bare before him, and your heart squeezes tight in your chest from the sight. There’s a barely touched mug of tea alongside the books, no doubt cold at this point, and the small lamp sitting on the corner of the desk illuminates the space. 

The tension in Hongjoong’s shoulders remains even as you get within touching distance of him, and you dart a hand out to brush a few loose strands of hair off his forehead. The dark locks cave under your fingers, letting you tuck them back with little resistance. Hongjoong sighs from the gentle touches.

“Long day?” you murmur, despite already knowing the answer. 

“Fucked up an important job,” Hongjoong sighs in response. He drops his head and faces forward again, staring down at the book before him. You take the opportunity to look in the same direction but you regret doing so a moment later because of what you see on the page. 

_ Curing terminal illness with magic. _

You tug at the back of Hongjoong’s chair, pulling him away from his desk with as much strength you can muster, but eventually he caves and assists you in pushing the chair back. You leave just enough room for you to slip between him and the desk before dropping your hands to his shoulders. No words come from your lips for quite some time; the two of you just remain in that position until tension begins to ebb away from Hongjoong’s shoulders. And the moment that begins to happen, you take advantage of it, dropping atop his lap with little effort and slipping your legs about his waist. Hongjoong’s hands secure at your hips. 

Even the slight touch fills your body with energy — it’s weak and fragile, evidence of how much magic Hongjoong used today and how much he’s struggling to even stay awake right now — and you push yourself closer to him in attempts to offer at least some warmth and comfort. 

Seonghwa would be better suited for this as a witch, or even San since the man is Hongjoong’s familiar, and yet you were called upon to help Hongjoong. You, the herbalist and alchemist with no magical ability in your bones. It’s a daunting task being asked to help Hongjoong without knowing what to do or having the skills that the others have. Still, you refuse to let that lack of confidence shine through in the slightest, bringing your hands up to cup Hongjoong’s sharp jawline and lift his head. He blinks back at you with wide eyes, dark orbs swirling with a mix of emotions that leaves a deep-seated pain in your heart. 

“My love, what happened?” 

Hongjoong blinks away from you. Before either of you know it, tears are springing to his eyes, welling them up with crystalline drops that glisten under the yellow lamplight. Not a single one falls quite yet; they still hold onto his eyelashes and waterline for the time being, but the moment he starts speaking, you know they’ll begin to fall. You wait as long as he needs you to, patient as ever as he collects himself and takes several deep breaths to calm down a bit before talking again.

“I promised his father that I would be able to heal him and fix him,” Hongjoong exhales against the exposed part of your neck. “I – h-he trusted me, and I… he died.” 

Your arms tighten a bit around Hongjoong out of sheer instinct, and Hongjoong’s breaths tremble before he’s able to get his next words out. You don’t force him to continue the thought; you’ve heard enough to know how badly the job went and why Seonghwa was so concerned when he talked to you earlier. Your fingers brush over the base of Hongjoong’s neck, combing gently through the locks of hair the reside there in a desperate attempt to offer him some comfort.

You don’t need to ask what he’s talking about to understand. There can only be one patient he’s referring to – the young boy of about nine who suffered from a tragic terminal illness, one that left him bed-ridden for years before Hongjoong came along. It only took Hongjoong two weeks to get the boy out of his bed, and another three for the boy to walk around normally. Within two months, he could run and play outside once more, and in the third, the boy and his father were going on weekly fishing trips that always resulted in Seonghwa getting vast deliveries of black bass and rainbow trout. The young boy’s case has always been Hongjoong’s  _ pride _ — the one job he never tires of, the one he would always return to, the most important one he’s ever had. There were no signs of things going south again. 

“I-I wanted his father to be mad at me. Scold me and harass me and berate me. Call me a failure because that’s – that’s what I am, but h-he just…  _ smiled _ . Told me not to take it too harshly. I was a last-ditch effort as it was. He didn’t expect anything to work and y-yet I was able to at least prolong his son’s death for a few precious months. He was grateful —  _ grateful _ . Even though his son d-died. Even though I couldn’t save him.”

You pull back to look Hongjoong in the eye now. Dark eyes search yours, still glistening with tears that fall freely now, and they seek answers that you don’t have. All you can do is hold his face with the gentlest touch manageable and bring your forehead down to rest against his. 

“Death… death is fickle, mio caro. She takes as much as life gives and is as elusive as a cloud on a clear day. We can’t control her no matter how much we try. While you have the ability to prolong her cold touch, no one can keep her away forever. You gave this boy months of life – a life he was able to cherish and use to the fullest. That was enough. You did enough.” You drag the pads of your thumbs over Hongjoong’s cheeks collecting the tears and brushing them away with ease. He leans into your touch, eyes fluttering shut as you trace faint patterns across his skin. 

“I just keep thinking about the ‘what if’s. What if I had noticed the changes sooner? What if I had been quicker to help him? To find a solution or a spell or just… something – anything. Could I have given him more time? His father seemed ready b-but the pain in his eyes when I delivered the news is not something I could readily forget.”

“You don’t have to forget that pain, Hongjoong. No one is asking you to. But put aside the possibilities, and look at reality.”

“The reality is that he died.”

“But not because of you,” you counter with haste, gaze sharpening on Hongjoong a bit as he opens his mouth to protest. “Were you the cause of his illness?”

“…No.”

“Did you do everything in your power to help him?”

“Yes, but there is alwa—”

“Shush, darling.” You drop a hand to where one of Hongjoong’s rests against your hip, taking it in yours and lifting it to your chest. You place his hand directly over your heart and fall completely silent so that he can feel the steady thrum of your heartbeat. “Do you feel that?” You inquire once a few seconds have passed. 

“Yes.”

“That’s life, Joong.” A soft smile overtakes your lips. “Where there is death, there is also life. And we cannot focus on the life before us if we are too consumed by the cold touch of death. As much as you want to hear that you’ve failed or made a mistake or deserve to be hated, it is not what you deserve because none of those things are true. You gave that man and his son the most precious gift of all for those months: time. Time they spent together whereas before they could not.”

“Notre petite étoile is right.” 

You don’t need to turn to see who’s just stepping into the room; the little nickname is enough to tell you who it is since there’s only one man in the house who speaks French and calls you by that name. Hongjoong looks up though, arms squeezing around your waist as he looks to where Seonghwa stands at the edge of the room. 

“Are you two ganging up on me?” Hongjoong grumbles. You and Seonghwa merely laugh in response, the latter man coming closer to the desk. He pauses at the edge to glance down at Hongjoong’s mug of tea and wordlessly traces small patterns against the side of the mug. Before you know it, small wisps of steam curl into the air above the liquid, and Seonghwa has once again heated the tea. The smile he wears signals that it’s something he’s done time and time again tonight, but he doesn’t make it seem like a chore or a burden at all, hand reaching out to comb through Hongjoong’s dark hair. Hongjoong sighs into the touch. There’s a gentle silence that drapes over the room next – one that Hongjoong relaxes under with your scent and Seonghwa’s intermingling under his nose. 

Seonghwa doesn’t stop his rhythmic motions until Hongjoong’s shoulders have dropped all the tension stored in them, then he moves around the back of his chair and leans over it. You aren’t quite sure what he’s up to until two fingers curl under your chin and lift your head to greet his. 

“My little star,” he murmurs before dipping closer to press a soft kiss against your lips. “One for you, and—” Seonghwa pulls back to glance down at Hongjoong, finding expectant and wide eyes blinking back up at him, then he parts Hongjoong’s bangs and places a second kiss to the exposed skin of his forehead “—one for you, my sweet starlight. The sun will rise soon, along with our darling sunrise to do the yard work. You two ought to get some rest before the chaos begins.”

“I should get home so I can prep the shop for morning opening,” you whisper, beginning to pull away from Hongjoong inch by inch. You half-expect Seonghwa to be the one to urge you to stay with pleading eyes and lingering touches that most definitely hold a bit of magic to them, but this time, he doesn’t say a word. Rather, it’s Hongjoong who tightens his hold on you and clings to you as though he might lose you if he dares to let go. You don’t realize it right away – perhaps you’re too distracted by the haziness of the late hour or by Seonghwa’s presence in the room – but when Hongjoong’s hands move up to brush over your shoulder blades, there is a sudden sense of desperation in his touch. Seonghwa smiles from off to the side.

“I’ll tell the younger ones not to bother you too much. Sleep as much as you need to. Yeosang and I will take care of the shop, étoile.” Seonghwa turns on his heel and walks towards the door again, leaving you and Hongjoong to watch his retreating form in silence. Just before he disappears completely, however, he shifts to look at the two of you once more. “I could get used to such a vision in our home.”

“Hm?” You echo, confusion evident on both your features and in your tone. 

“You being here often, Hongjoong distracted from work long enough to focus on something else, San sneaking up the stairs behind me and hiding outside the door while we talk.” Seonghwa cracks a smile and pushes the door wide open. A startled San pops out from behind the wood, broad shoulders curling inwards in his momentary shame, but Seonghwa doesn’t let that last long and brings a warm hand to the younger man’s waist. He doesn’t say anything else, slipping out of the room behind San’s form and leaving the familiar in his place. 

“Come, come, darling.” Hongjoong motions for San to come further into the room as he nudges you up, and you quickly slip off the man’s lap to stand on your own feet again. The breath leaves your lungs in a huff as a pair of arms suddenly wraps around your body, squeezing you in a tight embrace. The lines of sinew and muscle could only belong to San though you never saw him move in the slightest. Still, his hold is warm and inviting, enough to easily pull you towards Hongjoong’s bed, one that’s large enough to accommodate more than simply two bodies. 

“Missed you,” San mumbles into the crook of your neck. His cool breath tickles the hairs on your skin, sending rows of goosebumps over you, and San kisses them away as best he can. “Been too long since you stayed the night.”

“Hm, Hongjoong needed me tonight,” you sigh, watching said man adjust the books and papers on his desk. He leaves the lamp lit for the time being, but it’s evident that he’s preparing to join you and San in bed, and that’s enough of a welcome sight to cause some of your worry to melt away. San sits up all of a sudden, tossing the sheets back to slip under them, although you don’t join him in doing so quite yet. 

“His emotions have been volatile all day,” San says under his breath. The hush over the room is not nearly enough to conceal his tone though. Hongjoong most definitely can hear his words, but he neglects to mention it for the time being. “Couldn’t do anything to fix or help.”

San and Hongjoong share in a special type of relationship, one that is more interwoven and connected than most simply because of San’s identity as a familiar. Not just any familiar but Hongjoong’s familiar, just as Yeosang is Seonghwa’s familiar. It allowed the pair to share a deeper connection, sharing of emotional states – when one feels pain, the other does as well, just as with every emotion from happiness to rage. Hongjoong, however, prides himself on being able to cut off his emotions and keep them from affecting San too badly; so if San could sense the distress today, Hongjoong must be suffering a lot more than he’s letting on. Thus, it’s no surprise that San showed up when he did or that he’s here to stay the night with the two of you. The bond they share provides more than just physical comfort; the bond of a familiar and his master is one that bears great emotional weight and connection as well. It’s something you’ve been a bit insecure about when it comes to both men, along with Seonghwa and Yeosang, but they never let those doubts linger for long. 

You’re halfway through taking off your second shoe when Hongjoong finally approaches the bed. He pauses before you, setting the chamberstick on the bedside table alight with a small flame, then he slips down to his knees. Deft fingers work the knots of your laces apart and push the shoe away from your foot. His touch is too warm to be normal, and you only realize what he’s up to when a sudden wave of drowsiness overwhelms you. Hongjoong’s soft touch is the only thing that keeps you awake as he works his way up, pressing a trail of ghosting kisses up the inside of your calf and stopping at your knee. You can hardly keep your eyes parted but manage to see – or at least feel – Hongjoong crawl over you to get onto the bed and slip between your body and San’s. 

“No fair,” you murmur, words slurring together a bit. Hongjoong huffs out a laugh before leaning over you to puff the candle out. Small billows of smoke fill the air around your heads, along with a pleasant scent of lavender. 

“Forgive me for wanting my star to get some rest,” he chuckles as he settles back against the mattress.

“That’s Seonghwa’s line.”

“Yes, well, Seonghwa isn’t here to say it, is he?”

“I’m telling.” Hongjoong rolls his eyes – a gesture you can barely make out through the darkness – then he leans forward to peck the tip of your nose.

“Childish.”

“Seonghwa doesn’t like it when people steal his nicknames.”

“Oh hush, you little brat. You’re worse than Wooyoung.”

“That’s more like it. Our dearest affectionate Joongie,” San laughs from behind Hongjoong, chin coming to rest on the length of the other man’s shoulder. His lips stretch into a grin, dimples flashing through the darkness, and you smile back at him softly. A hand touches your waist, and you almost think it’s Hongjoong but San grumbles something about you being too far away to cuddle properly and you know it’s him instead. You hum at the touch and settle into the warmth it provides. You nearly fall asleep right then and there, but you force your body to stay awake just a little while longer so you can press one last kiss to Hongjoong’s lips, then another to San’s.

“Okay, goodnight, my loves. I can’t keep my eyes open any longer thanks to Hongjoong.” You press closer to both men, wrapping yourself in the combined warmth of your lovers’ arms and the sheets, and Hongjoong tucks your head against his chest. His chin comes to rest on the top of your head. You’re already drifting off when you hear San’s next whispered words, ones meant only for Hongjoong’s ears but ones you hear nonetheless. 

“I have a surprise for you tomorrow.”

“Hm? Is that your way of telling me to clear my schedule?” Hongjoong murmurs. The words send soft vibrations across your hair, and you instinctively tuck yourself further into his chest. 

“Well, your schedule should be empty at night unless one of the others would be having you… preoccupied at that time.”

“As if you don’t intend to have me in that way yourself.”

“Only after the surprise,” San whispers, tone slightly offended, but you can also hear the affection in his tone. 

“Then I’m all yours tomorrow evening.”

“Perfect.”

Those are the last words you hear out of either man; both fall silent after that and leave you with the soft heavings of their breaths above you, warm arms clinging to you as you drift off into a pleasant and peaceful rest. And as much as you protest the idea of intruding and living here with them, you have to admit that these moments make it worth it in the long run. The little things – the kisses and hugs, the sudden intrusions from your other lovers, the piling warmth, lingering gazes, soft smiles, quiet shared whispers. Perhaps you could get used to nights like these.


	3. yeosang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> as it turns out, even you have a breaking point. yeosang is there to pick up the pieces as you fall apart.

If there’s anything for you to pride yourself on, it would typically be your ability to handle any amount of work handed your way. Your shop is not the only one in the area – plenty of people have a need for herbalists and alchemists these days – but that doesn’t keep you from being busy nonetheless. This time of year is the most busy for you. Between holiday orders and people who get sick when the colder weather strikes, you find it quite reasonable to say that you are drowning in your work.

As such, it pulls you away from the coven and your eight lovers more and more with each passing day. It isn’t that you don’t want to see them or that you are attempting to push them out of your life; simply put, you are _busy_ , even if San refuses to believe that each time he comes to visit. Your mood, which is already sour as it is, has been considerably worse today thanks to a visit from said familiar this morning. Not because of anything he did, however; no, you only have yourself to blame for being in such a bad mood because when he fluttered in through the window and shifted on your kitchen counter, he just so happened to shed a few feathers on the floor. Something that isn’t typically a big deal. Something that happens regularly. Something even Seonghwa, a damn _hearth witch_ , doesn’t mind.

Yet apparently, this morning was the straw that broke the camel’s back (it’s you, you’re the camel), and you snapped at San so quickly that the familiar stumbled backward and hit his hand on the knife you left out on the counter. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the man retreated back into his raven form and flew straight out the window before you could even offer to help clean the wound and apologize.

So yeah, today has been an absolute shitshow from start to finish, but you have so many orders on your plate that you can’t even spare two seconds to cry from the pressure of it all. Even midway through the afternoon, you are still laboring over all the concoctions and potions that you have to make despite having worked for well over nine hours already. Half of these orders are not even due until next week, and it would be perfectly reasonable for you to space them out or schedule them differently, but your stomach is in knots at the mere thought of waiting to start them any longer.

You don’t hear the door creak open moments later, too engrossed in the steaming cauldron on your countertop. When there is a whoosh of air and a sudden burst of magic in your entryway, you snap into action, whirling to face the intruder with a metal ladle in hand.

“Yeosang,” you sigh, equal parts exasperated and relieved. The blond stands before you with a gentle smile painting his sharp features, and those cat-like eyes blink several times in your direction, pupils relaxing back into their natural feline slits. Honestly, you should be more confused about the hybrid’s appearance in your home. It is rare for him to leave the premises of the coven’s cottage, and even rarer for him to do so alone, but you push that thought to the back of your mind in favor of returning to your work.

“That’s all the attention you’re gonna give me?” Yeosang quips as you turn away from him. Another sigh slips from your lips without you intending it to, and you have to bite down hard on your tongue to keep from snapping back at him. “Y/n…”

“I’m busy, Yeosang.” Tone flat and biting, not even the sharp pressure of your teeth can keep you from spatting the words over your shoulder. “These orders won’t finish themselves.”

“We’re worried about you, angel.” Yeosang’s presence pushes closer to the kitchen but he doesn’t step any further than that, eyes trailing over your hunched form from the doorframe.

“Yeah, well, save the lecture for later.”

“I’m not here to lecture you.” If you were to glance at Yeosang now, you are certain that you would see his delicate cat ears twitching with annoyance just from his tone of voice. “You know Seonghwa or Hongjoong would be here if that were the case.”

“Surprised they aren’t here given what happened with San this morning.”

“They – just like the rest of us – know that you have a lot going on right now. We can’t fault you for being stressed.”

“You could fault me for being a _bitch_ ,” you scoff, dropping your ladle back into the cauldron and stirring its contents to busy yourself.

“I would never claim you to be something you’re not.”

The words are sickeningly sweet – far too sweet compared to what you deserve to hear at the moment. Part of you wishes he would just be cruel and tear into you so that you could actually cry and get the building emotions out of your system.

“So what? You’re just here to distract me from my work and say you’re worried about me?” This time, you actually do see Yeosang’s ears twitch in annoyance because you shift to look over to where he’s standing. He doesn’t let the emotion shine in his eyes though, biting it back in favor of smiling at you.

“Yes.” He folds his lithe arms over his chest and levels you with a determined stare. “That is precisely what I am trying to do.” A step closer. “Is that a problem, Y/n?” Another step towards you. “I can stand here and pester you until you get frustrated enough to kick me out, or—” he paused beside your counter now, slipping around it so that he can be directly across from you “—you can admit that you need a break.”

Your fingers tighten around the handle of your ladle, and it’s certainly leaving the indentations of the metal on your palm but you don’t let up for a second. Yeosang’s gaze searches yours, begging and pleading for some sort of give on your part. You are nothing if not stubborn though, and you absolutely refuse to give in that easily. He’ll have to try harder than that to get you to break. Yeosang seems to realize that in less than a second because he dips around the side of the counter to join you where you’re standing now. You pay him little to no attention this time.

Then, as you are in the midst of reaching for an empty vial, a hand darts out to snatch the vial out of your grasp. You open your mouth to snap at Yeosang for disturbing your work yet again, but he doesn’t give you the opportunity to because he darts behind your back and snakes a hand forward to take the ladle from you as well. It leaves you completely helpless: stuck in the cage that is Yeosang’s arms as he brings them around your shoulders and begins to do your job for you. The heat of his breath is rushing down the back of your neck, the feel of his arms around you is suffocating in its warmth, and the mere gesture of watching him pour the potion into the empty vial nearly causes you to break.

Yeosang hums as he works, a gentle and soft tune that he sings to Wooyoung when trying to get him to fall asleep or to Hongjoong when the man is overworking himself as usual or even to Jongho during their afternoon naps on the couch. Now he gives it to you, humming directly in the shell of your ear as he peaks over your shoulder to make sure he doesn’t spill a drop of the mixture.

“How many do you need filled?” He asks once the first tube is full and sealed with a small cork. You are so overwhelmed in that moment that you can’t even find it in you to respond. Yeosang barely has time to react and set the ladle and vial down safely before you’re reeling on him and shoving your face into his chest. The air leaves his lungs in a huff, then the small clatter of him releasing the ladle into the cauldron resounds behind you. You can’t see a thing past the soft cotton of his tunic.

“S-Shit,” you mutter. The tears are already welling you against your will, and your throat seems to be closing in on itself. Yeosang drapes his arms over your back without needing an explanation, letting you push him back until his tailbone hits the counter behind him. He settles against it without complaint though and tucks his arms further around you until every single one of your senses is completely full of _him_. He smells of fresh lilacs and lavender, clothes soft on your skin, hands warm in your hair. He doesn’t even need to say a word for you to shatter completely. Within the next two seconds, you are sobbing into his chest, well past your breaking point in terms of stress and anxiety.

This is a first for Yeosang, even if it seems to be something regular for you. When it comes to comfort, Hongjoong or Seonghwa are the first to be at your side to ease your concerns and worries. Yunho after that, then maybe Mingi. But never Yeosang. That just isn’t the type of relationship the two of you share. The dynamics among all of you are different but the same, all ending in a place called love. And even if this is not something Yeosang typically does for you, you feel the love and warmth in it nonetheless.

His hold on you doesn’t let up for a second, and he simply lets you cry against his body for quite some time before he adjusts your position and pulls you away from the kitchen. You pay no attention to where he’s taking you, only that he guiding you away from _work_ , but the intensity of your sobs would keep you from working anyway. All you can do is let him tug you along until you feel him drag you down to the couch, pulling your body over his and tucking you under his arms once more.

“Just let it all out, angel,” he murmurs, lips dancing over the column of your neck. “I’m here, you don’t have to suffer alone.”

“I-It’s just so _much_ ,” you sob. The waterworks are already out and ready to play, but you were hesitant to open up about the causes of your stress until Yeosang whispered those words that seemed to give you permission.

“I know it is, love. You have so much on your plate. So much to deal with.”

“It’s too – too much. I c-can’t do it all.”

“You can, Y/n. You can do it. You know why?” Yeosang shifts his head up a bit to press a warm kiss to your temple. “You always handle everything with such grace and determination. You work so hard and get so little in return, but I promise you – Y/n, I promise you that your efforts do not go unnoticed. It may feel like you are doing this all for nothing, but it will all pay off in the end. Your hard work will pay off.”

“It doesn’t feel like it will. I feel like I’m not good enough, not smart enough, not talented enough… I just f-feel like I’m not _enough_.”

Yeosang pulls back upon hearing those words, hands reaching up to cradle your face and look you in the eye. His gaze is absolutely unreadable, and you don’t have it in you to make an effort to figure out what emotion he is harboring there. His words do more than enough to explain it to you.

“No matter what you do, what paths you travel down, what choices you make in life, you _are_ enough. You are smart enough, talented enough, good enough. You are capable and powerful in so many ways, even if you can’t see it yourself. And you always have at least one person at your back, cheering you on and rooting for you when you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel any longer. Because no matter what, you deserve to feel like you’re enough. Everyone deserves that, and I know you can see that in others yet when it comes to yourself, you feel like it’s selfish to give yourself that much. It’s not selfish or egotistical or wrong to let yourself be enough. The work… it might be a lot now, it might be hard now, it might be stressful now. That doesn’t mean it will always be this way though. It will get better in time, and you will come out of this stronger than before, stronger than ever. I know this is true because I know your determination and drive to be good at everything you do. Sometimes we have days where we can’t even get out of bed because we’re so overwhelmed by everything. And even if you have those days, it doesn’t mean that you are any less than what you are. And what you are is _enough_.”

Your tears are spilling over the fingers that trace over your cheeks in softly-traced patterns. Your lip is wet with the tears, and you are quite positive that you look an absolute mess and a wreck, but Yeosang doesn’t seem to mind one bit. It’s with a gentle, barely-there pressure that he lands a kiss on your lips. Merely a gesture meant to provide more physical comfort, but you bask in it still, sinking your mouth deeper atop his until your tongues entangle in his mouth. You only part when you are completely out of breath and unable to stay connected any longer. Rather than pulling you down for another kiss, Yeosang simply pushes your head back down to his chest and lets you rest there as cries continue to leave you.

And he continues to smile at you. Coaxes tear after tear out of your body, and his humming resumes. He presses his hand to your hair without a care in the world about the way your tears soak through his shirt. The humming blossoms into sweetly sung words, ones that push warmth and comfort through your whole body.

“When it’s overwhelming, hold on tight. I’ll be here, don’t forget it ‘cause in life sometimes we need a helping hand. You’ll be alright. Just take it slow. One day at a time.”


	4. yunho

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it’s been quite some time since these intrusive thoughts came around, but whenever they do, there’s always one person in particular who comes to brush them away.
> 
> warnings: mentions of intrusive thoughts, seasonal depression, and general Sad Feelings

The soft pitter-patter of raindrops drums against the window, filling it with strewn and random patterns of the water that falls from the sky, and you watch the movements with a blank mind. It’s a cold and resigned feeling that blossoms in your gut as you sit by the windowsill, elbow propped up on the wood and chin resting atop your clenched fist. You could sit here for hours just examining each little dragging drop on the glass, maybe even seeing which drop can reach the bottom of the window fastest, but instead, you pull back with a quiet sigh falling from your lips.

Winter.

You aren’t sure how to explain it but the season is simultaneously your favorite and least favorite wrapped into one lovely little bundle. The air outside isn’t quite cold enough to let snow fall and stick to the ground quite yet — hence the rain — but the season brings you as much joy as it does pain and emptiness. You enjoy the snow and seeing what kinds of animals hustle and bustle in their winter coats outside your cottage, and you love seeing the way the sun bounces off the icy lakes and rivers nearby or how the evergreen trees catch hold of little snowflakes. But those are just temporary things that don’t last in the long run because you cannot shake the dismal feeling that begins to enter your gut around autumn.

Living alone in your little cottage has its perks, of course, although they always seem few and far between when it comes time for this seasonal plague to grip your mind. Work is always most busy in the winter as well, which only adds to your despondent mood when you cannot spend more than an hour in the presence of your lovers. So really, it’s one bad thing after another, a myriad of bad to worse that leaves you in tears at the end of the day more often than not.

You should probably be working now, at least filling next week’s orders or double-checking the ones you finished bottling earlier today. There is hardly any energy in you right now though, so the best you can do is blink a few times and stare out the window again.

It’s in times like these when you truly consider Seonghwa’s never-ending offer. The season wouldn’t be nearly so difficult if you lived with the rest of them in the coven’s home. Yet it is near impossible for you to entertain the thought while in this state. Your mind prefers to be less than kind and give you endless scenarios that have you biting back tears and crying yourself to sleep.

Maybe they don’t really want you. They have each other. Why would they need you on top of that? Seonghwa just pities you because you act so pathetic. You would just be a burden if you lived with them. You aren’t a witch like they are, you don’t have any magical abilities in you, what could you provide? They can do all the things you do in half the time surely. You are, quite literally, useless in their eyes.

Sometimes the thoughts become more cruel and harsh than that, all following the same theme of not being needed or wanted. And as much as you want to rely on them for comfort and support, you lose the internal battles more often so you resign yourself to sitting in a bed of your own tears and heartbreak. Fall asleep eventually, wake up, work until you cannot stand anymore, then repeat the process.

This week alone has seemed to pack more of a punch than any of the previous years of this seasonal plague, but that could be because you haven’t been through a winter alone like this since before your relationship with the coven started. Last year, Wooyoung and Jongho took to living in your cottage throughout the whole season just to keep you company. Perhaps the reason they are not here this year is because you’ve become too much, too burdensome, too emotionally draining to be around. Logic tells you that is not the case. That melancholy black dog residing in your mind does not.

Someone will surely be by to visit soon given how quiet you’ve been these last few days. You’re shocked that no one has come by sooner, but the second you begin to think about it, the black dog returns to barking loudly where he sits in your thoughts. The noise in your head is so loud and overwhelming that you actually have to push away from the window, shaking your head fervently and jerking out of your chair in a desperate attempt to make it stop.

“Y/n?”

The voice intrudes on your ugly thoughts, and it fills you with panic before anything else. You whip around in your little window seat, eyes immediately looking towards the door to your bedroom which is now cracked open. You can’t see anyone behind the door or in the room, and merely hearing your name did not give you enough clues as to who could possibly be in your home at this time.

“Baby, are you in here?” The noise resounds again, and this time you recognize it better.

Yunho. Why is Yunho here? A shadowy figure pushes past the doorframe, and your lover slips through the opening with his shoulder. You try to hide your signs of panic, furiously blinking away the tears that begin to spring to your eyes. Why is he here? Did someone send him? Maybe they sent him to tell you that the relationship is over. He is best at handling emotionally charged conversations since he’s a fae and can influence thoughts and emotions. Maybe Hongjoong and Seonghwa decided that he would be best for delivering the news or—

“Hi, love, I didn’t know if you were home because you didn’t answer the door.” Yunho pushes a soft smile onto his lips, and as he fully steps into view, you catch sight of the two mugs in his hands. You can’t see the contents in them, but there are small wisps of steam curling up from both as Yunho comes closer to where you’re sitting. “I saw the kettle boiling away though so I figured you wouldn’t up and leave with it still running.”

Yunho doesn’t stop moving until he reaches the window seat, and he extends one of the mugs towards you. The inside of a mix of green of brown, no doubt some type of tea that he’s brewed for you. You take it with a slight nod and restrained smile.

“I know Hongjoong said you didn’t want to be bothered without notice but…” Yunho trails off, cheeks glowing a bit red. “I was worried about you since this time of year is always hard for you.”

“I’m fine,” you insist, but your tone is too clipped and noncommittal to be normal. Yunho surely knows that it is more than a simple white lie. “Did one of them send you?” He most likely knows who you’re talking about, but he shows more confusion than anything else.

“Why would one of them send me?” He asks as he eases down in front of you on the window seat. You blink back with a bit of dazed wonder to your stare, half-expecting Yunho to explain further, but he just sits and waits patiently for you to speak again.

“To – to make the conversation easier?” 

“What conversation?” Yunho leans across the space between your bodies, and his free hand spreads forward to tangle with yours. You let him interlock your fingers. It’s a small comfort that sends shockwaves through your body. It hasn’t even been that long since you last saw one of the witches, but you’re still somehow so desperately touch-starved that just the slight touch has tears springing to your eyes. “Oh, my baby, sweet angel, what’s wrong?”

Yunho pushes forward until he’s all but in your lap at this point, hand tugging the mug free from your hands, and he sets it down beside his own on the windowsill before returning his full attention to you. He tugs you into his embrace, arms folding around your body until he can loop his hands about your waist. 

“Why did you think I came, baby?” He asks once you’re fully secured in his lap. 

“I just — when I saw you — I-I don’t know. M-My mind said that it had to be – that you were here to end things or something. I don’t know, I’m just rambling, I don’t know what I’m saying or what I was thinking. I’m s-sorry, I—”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, Y/n,” Yunho interjects, drawing a hand up from your waist to brush over your scalp. “Don’t ever apologize for something you can’t control. Those thoughts are not your fault. Did you want to have them?”

“N-No, of course not, why would I ever want that?” You mumble against Yunho’s shoulder. He hums into your hair, lips pressing a soft kiss to the same spot, then he lifts his chin a bit to rest it atop your head. 

“Then it isn’t something you need to apologize for, baby. Not now, not ever.” You cling tighter to Yunho’s body out of sheer instinct, and he picks up on your grip in less than a second. “Our minds… regardless of how strong and resilient we are, they can be cruel. They can lie to us, tell us awful and heartbreaking things, lead us to believe the impossible with ease. Sometimes it is easier to cave in and listen to those demons rather than reason, but that doesn’t mean you are weak. The strongest person in the universe can be broken by his own mind because that is all part of human nature.”

“Easy for you to say,” you huff out as a few tears begin to soak through Yunho’s tunic. “You aren’t human.” Yunho laughs a bit at your quip, not at all offended by it. Perhaps it’s a bit childish for you to pull that card, but Wooyoung pulls it out every time the pair have a disagreement without fail, so what’s the harm in you using it just this once? 

“Perhaps not, but I still understand emotions and thoughts better than any human could. And having lived for so long, I think—”

“You don’t need to pull the age card,” you whine.

“If you’re going to act like Wooyoung, then I’ll treat you just like him too.”

Admittedly, your mind is still elsewhere and you aren’t fully engaged in the conversation now, head propped on Yunho’s shoulder in such a way so that you can stare out the window and watch the rainfall again. He doesn’t comment on your silence and merely eases the both of you back until he’s leaning against the wall with you neatly draped over his larger form.

“Do you love me?” You ask after some time passes. It catches Yunho a bit off-guard, and his breath hitches sharply, hand pausing in its rhythmic drags over the small of your back.

“Always and forever, baby,” he says once he recovers a bit. He pauses, and you can almost hear the gears turning in his head as he figures out what to say next. “We all love you. We would never lead you on or toy with your feelings. You are more than enough, but never too much. While it’s easy to lose yourself in these feelings of loneliness, we would never blame you for feeling them.”

“Isn’t it hard on you too though?” You ask, balling your fist around the material of his shirt. 

“It’s hard for all of us, darling. Seeing you in pain and hurting is never easy. There are some things we cannot fix though. We can ease the pain for a time, but certain things never go away. Sure, we can make them easier to manage and handle, we can provide methods that will help support you and help you not feel so alone, we can do everything in our power to help you. We cannot pretend to be able to fix you. You have the strength to overcome it; we support you when times are tough and help you up when you fall. Because we love you, care about you, cherish you, and want the best for you. That… that doesn’t make it easy, but it is never easy to work through these sorts of things.”

“How can you be so patient with me?”

“Why would I ever want to rush something that takes time? I don’t need to put a time limit on you, and we certainly don’t have a time limit on our relationship. Thus we are willing to wait as long as it takes even if it just means making winters easier to handle and manage.” Yunho’s hands trace patterns over your skin, slipping under the hem of your shirt to have more contact with you. The sudden chill of his fingers sends goosebumps over you. He cracks a small smile as you shiver in his grasp and tucks you closer to his body without saying anything for several minutes. 

It’s comfortable and needed right now, easing the dull and aching pain in your chest, but as Yunho said, it doesn’t completely take it away. Makes it manageable and easier to breathe. It’s enough, more than you could have asked for, and what you were wanting so desperately. It was just too hard to admit it and voice it to them.

“I did talk with Hongjoong before coming,” Yunho says after letting the silence drag into something warm and comfortable. You hum in acknowledgment, too content in his arms to move in the slightest. “Asked him if we could prepare the guest room.”

“Is someone coming into town?” You mumble through the sudden wave of drowsiness washing over your bones.

“No, I — we... we were hoping that you could come live with us, at least through the end of winter.”

That causes you to perk up, and you sit up, hands firmly planted on Yunho’s chest so you can better look him in the eye.

“What?”

“I know last year Wooyoung and Jongho came to live in with you, but we were thinking that perhaps it would be easier on you if you just came to live with us. It doesn’t have to be permanent if you don’t want it to be. Don’t – it isn’t meant to pressure you or anything like that. Merely an offer. Something we can do to help you. I figured having a room to yourself would give you an opportunity to have a space on your own for when you need it. The goal isn’t to eliminate all your alone time, as that is just as important as spending time with others, but a fresher perspective might help. Or even just having the option to sleep beside someone every night could help with the loneliness.”

Your heart swells with emotion, and the gentle smile pulling at Yunho’s lips only makes you want to sob from how touched you are. Yunho sees the sudden twist in your expression. His hands dart up to cradle your face, eyes falling into soft crescents as a more bashful smile overtakes his features.

“Are those happy tears or sad ones?”

“I d-don’t know how to respond,” you whisper through a small sob, and Yunho tugs you down to his chest again. He rocks your form back and forth as best he can with the awkward angle, but it provides the right amount of comfort for you to settle against him once more.

“Think about you, baby. You don’t need to answer right away. Seonghwa won’t mind extra time to clean, of course.”

“Or I could just sleep with you until it’s cleaned to his liking.” You smother the words in his clothes to keep him from hearing them, but that is to no avail because he huffs out a loud laugh at your comment nonetheless.

“Or I could stay with you here until you’re ready to make a decision.”

You twist in his grasp to look him in the eye again, searching his dark gaze for… something you aren’t wholly aware of. The light from outside — a dull and grey-toned white light — reflects off his eyes and shows off those pretty purple flecks in them. The allure of his features hits in that moment, the dastardly effect of staring too long at a fae, but Yunho blinks his eyes shut before you fall into a daze.

“Don’t let me influence your decision. It’s up to you as always. I am content to do whatever is more comfortable to you, so you—”

You cut him short with a swift peck pressed to the tip of his nose, and Yunho scrunches up his face at the suddenness of the action. His eyes flutter open once more but this time you don’t stare directly into them.

“You’re the devil,” he grumbles, but the smile on his lips betrays how flustered he really is.

“Don’t laugh too hard, I’m comfortable here.”

“Is that a smile I see?”

“I love you,” you murmur, ignoring the question for the time being. Yunho doesn’t seem to mind all too much. “Thank you. Both for being here and for helping me think clearer.”

“Always, darling. I may not be  _ human _ like you, but I do love you and want the best for you. And I know the other would do the same whenever you need it.” You respond with another quick kiss to the tip of his nose, but this time Yunho catches you when you pull back and he plants a kiss on your lips before you can duck completely away. “As comfortable as this is, I am quickly losing feeling in my ass, so maybe we could resituate or go to the bed?”

“I don’t know, you make for a rather nice cushion.”

“I wonder if this is how Yeosang felt when I accidentally sat on him,” Yunho whines, slumping further back against the wall. You slap his chest with a bit of force as he complains.

“He was in his cat form and you put the full weight of your ass on him!‌ That’s completely different!”

“He survived, didn’t he?”

“Then you’ll survive having a numb ass for a little while.”

“I hate when you’re right. It’s too sexy and makes me think of inappropriate things.”

“So you’re still a man, after all, fae or not.” You land another quick jab to the side of Yunho’s head as he laughs. He doesn’t complain any longer though, even as you force him to lie completely flat on the window sill with your body still draped over his like a blanket.

“Wooyoung is downstairs, by the way.” Yunho distracts you from the sudden revelation by pressing a line of kisses down the side of your face.

“What?”

“He’s cooking dinner for us, I believe. And drawing a bath for you. We wanted to treat you.” He layers the words with more kisses, pausing over your lips to say one more thing. “Shit, wait, I think I was supposed to be in charge of the bath actually.”

“Yunho!”

“I’ll make Wooyoung do it after dinner so I can cuddle you some more.”


End file.
